Boaties and whale strife

BUNDY boaties are being urged to take extra care on the water following a whale strike and several near misses.

A submerged humpback whale was hit by a vessel near Cairns and suffered a wound to its head, while compliance patrols have encountered several Marine Park users getting too close to the migrating animals.

"It's important we're vigilant on the water with an estimated 30,000 humpback whales migrating along the coast,” Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority operations support manager Dr Mark Read said.